Danny Lendich

Danny Lendich (born 1944) is an Auckland-based businessperson who owns an earthmoving and hauling company. Lendich is best known for opening the first Wendy's franchise in New Zealand. He is also a midget car racing car owner.

Early life

Lendich was born in 1944 to Croatian parents who had emigrated to New Zealand in the period leading up to World War II and farmed an apple and pear orchard. When he was 12 years old, Lendich—who had been using his family's tractor to work for local farmers—persuaded his father to purchase a bulldozer so that he could start his own contracting business.[1] He attended Henderson High School in Auckland.[2]

Business ventures
Photograph of construction of the Westgate Shopping Centre in Massey, Auckland, New Zealand, in 1994. The image depicts a pit of dirt with construction vehicles, including several trucks and a bulldozer.
Lendich Construction working on Westgate Shopping Centre in Massey, 1994

Lendich's first business venture was an earthmoving and hauling company, Lendich Construction, which he started in the 1960s after working for neighbouring farmers.[1][3] In 1997, the business was cited for improper use of the property where its depot was located as a result of noise complaints from neighbors; the Environment Court of New Zealand ruled in favor of Lendich in 1999.[3][4]

Lendich and his wife, Dianne, opened the first Wendy's franchise in New Zealand in 1988; they became Wendy's franchisors after they encountered the restaurant during trips to midget car races in the United States.[1] In 1993, Lendich hired Dave Vousden, known as "Kiwi Dave", to star in Wendy's commercials in New Zealand.[5] Lendich and his family eventually opened and operated 22 Wendy's locations in New Zealand through a corporation, Wendco NZ; his daughter, Danielle, took over as CEO of the corporation in 1999. In 2022, Wendy's NZ announced its sale. Lendich and his family have also operated petrol stations and they own properties in Auckland.[6][7]

Midget car racing
A midget car being driven on a dirt race track.
Jerry Coons Jr. racing a midget car at Angell Park Speedway in 2012

Lendich has owned midget cars through his racing team, D.L. Motorsports.[8] He has sponsored several drivers who have collectively won hundreds of races, including Sleepy Tripp,[9][10][11] Graham Standring,[12][13] Craig Baird,[14] Sammy Swindell,[15] Jerry Coons Jr.[16] and Alex Bright.[17] Lendich has said that his interest in midget car racing stems from the engineering aspects, and that he works on the cars that he owns.[18]

References
  1. "Long and Wendy road to success". Western Leader. Auckland, New Zealand: Stuff. 31 January 2009. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  2. "Notables". Henderson High School. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  3. Austen, Dean (29 June 2000). "Trucking yard to stay – for now". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  4. Lendich Construction Limited v Waitakere City Council [1999] NZEnvC 279.
  5. "Who is Kiwi Dave?". Western Leader. Auckland, New Zealand: Stuff. 31 January 2009. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  6. Shaw, Aimee (22 June 2022). "Fast food business Wendy's NZ up for sale after three decades". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. Forbes, Stephen (28 January 2010). "Businesses affected by works". Western Leader. Auckland, New Zealand: Stuff. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  8. Glick, Shav (11 July 1991). "Motor racing: this week at Saugus, they're paving the way for Turkey Night". Los Angeles Times. p. 4. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  9. Lauria, Steven (22 October 1983). "Ascot drivers out to trip 'Sleepy'". The Register. Orange County, California. p. D9. Retrieved 25 June 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.
  10. "Impressive field to make up 17th annual Midget Nationals running". The Belleville Telescope. Belleville, Kansas. 4 August 1994. p. 6A – via NewspaperArchive.
  11. "USAC: Sleepy Tripp scores number 100". Motorsport.com. 8 May 1998. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  12. Austen, Dean (29 April 2013). "Speedway: Standring wins 101st feature race". Bay of Plenty Times. Tauranga, New Zealand: Stuff. p. A24. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  13. Ash, Julie (4 November 2004). "Motorsport: Making a speedy u-turn". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  14. "Baird gets taste of speedway world". Western Leader. Auckland, New Zealand: Stuff. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 23 June 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  15. "Midget car legend in feature race". The New Zealand Herald. 5 January 2011. p. B11. Retrieved 25 June 2023 – via ProQuest.
  16. Kerchner, Mike (24 November 2012). "Short-track roundup: Jerry Coons Jr. claims National Midget Driver of the Year crown". Autoweek. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  17. "The future is Bright". Speed Sport. 30 August 2022. p. 2. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  18. "The life and times of Danny Lendich, earthmover!". The Billy Ho Show. Episode 10. 1 August 2023. Event occurs at 27:32. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023 – via YouTube.
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